THIS is the moment an amateur photographer captured a rare black fox on camera.

The black fox - which is linked to Gaelic tradition - and has only ever been spotted in Britain once before was seen wandering among gravestones in a cemetery in Chorley, Lancashire.
Kevin Hehir, 48, was out walking in the cemetery with his friend Jeff Brown when they spied the creature lurking in the undergrowth.

Photographer Kevin, from Preston, Lancs, said: "It was on the outskirts of Chorley. I don't want to give the exact location out as it's a very rare fox and I don't want people to go and try and catch it.

"We were walking along looking at gravestones and I spotted it. "I thought, it's a myth, there's no such thing.

"I took some photos and videoed it. It's only a cub, I managed to get right up to it - I thought it was the Devil looking at me. It's definitely a black fox.

"It's really good because I've been told they're very rare and I've got it on video."

In North America, foxes with black coats are often found but it is thought there has only ever been one sighting in Britain before.

David Dunlop, Lancashire Wildlife Trust conservation officer, said: "It's a Gaelic tradition, originating from the black dog which was said to bring doom and disaster to those who see it.

"Only one black fox has been seen and, as far as I know, it's the only one to be seen in this country before.

"In North America, I think it's about one in five red foxes are black but that's because they were introduced from Europe."

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